Quality Time With Friends

Wednesday

Ro was pretty pooped after this past weekend and playing nearly non-stop with Barnaby ever since we got back. He was also a little sad because all of his friends went back to school today. He sat in front of the TV, occasionally playing with his toys, but mostly just vegetating, which is really unusual for him. We asked him repeatedly if he wanted to go out and do anything, but he kept declining. We knew we'd be running him pretty hard for the next few weeks, so we didn't press the issue.

Ready...Steady...

Go!

Ro meets the business end of the "elephant trunk"

Enjoying some of their last days together

Mark spent much of the afternoon scoping out offers to sell our car and running other errands, including picking up some WD-40 to lubricate Sherry's annoyingly squeaky knee brace. We had Teagan come over to babysit this evening so we could go out with Craig for an adults-only dinner. We went to the newly reopened restaurant at the Tauranga Bridge Marina called, what else, The Bridge. The place had really suffered when all the construction on the new bridge was going on, causing patronage to plummet due to the horrendous traffic; but, it seems to be bouncing back nicely. It features great sunset views over the marina and across Pilot Bay to Mauao. It's actually owned by a retired American army captain.

Our friend Craig

No kids allowed

Out for an evening sail in the harbour

The food was excellent, and even though Sherry laid her vegetarianism aside for the evening to enjoy an eye fillet, Mark and Craig couldn't talk her into trying their Oysters Kilpatrick. Craig had the fillet as well, while Mark had a lamb rump. We finished with a dessert assortment and some tawny port, then rushed back to The Mount to catch Sherlock Holmes at the cinema. When we got home just after 11, Ro was fast asleep. Teagan had tired him out at the pool. We sat on our deck talking with Craig for a while, listening to the roar of the ocean in the distance, then started packing for our big trip tomorrow.

Dusk falls over Tauranga Bridge Marina